Newbie -Can any type of audio file be converted to ac3???

[tans66]

I have read various forums and done some searches but can't find this. I do know that it is out there but it is hiding from me.Can I take any mpeg or avi file and encode the audio to ac3 to play on my standalone dvd player.Actually my receiver is only prologic but it should at least process to dolby surround.Or does the avi or mpeg audio source file have to have the ac3 there already???
I have the following programms
tmpgenc
Besweet
virtualdub(4 types-1.3,1.5,mpeg,ac3)
ac3filter
goldwave
Nero
I have seen the exellent tutorial on besweet here but don't know if my source needs the ac3 code to begin with.If any other suggestions for better or easier programms please advise.
This site has helped me greatly so far the forum searches and guides have been top notch,its the only one I come to when I have hit a wall or problem.
Thx for any help

[Gazorgan]

My prologic does just fine on AC5.1 downconverted to 2 channel. I have left/right/center/rear. My DVD player does play MP2's (not a US standard, but most do).

You can encode to AC3, but it will be basically 2 channel (your source is 2 channel, how can the output be more?). You better off letting your stereo do the 'fake surround' than encoding it.

[wwaag]

I think that, technically, any WAV file can be converted to AC3. Whether that buys you anything is another matter (e.g. there are many monaural tracks on DVDs encoded to AC3). Besweet seems to be the only freeware that enables you to do this conversion. However, there are problems with the resulting audio. See https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=156016 and the referenced topic on the Doom9 forum. It seems that the resulting audio is very "quiet" when compared with the source (I've experienced this problem). Apparently, the problem is well-known, but not solved at the moment.

For these reasons, I encode the audio to MP2. Works OK on the 3 DVD players that I have, although it is "technically" not supported by the NTSC DVD standard. Hope this helps.

wwaag